Manicure device



Patented Apr. 17, 1934 UNITE STTEd 4 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of manicuring, and particularly to devices used therein for the better embellishment and beautification of human nails.

More specifically, the invention comprehends the provision of a novel orange stick, or like tool, useful in repressing and removing undue cuticle formation by a combination of physical and chemical means, or either; and in which a device is provided comprising a holder portion carrying solid stick or powdered cuticle reagent for bleaching, softening and removing excess cuticle in combination with means for applying the reagent to the nail; all of which are hereinafter described and claimed.

In the prior art, the manicure operator has heretofore applied liquid cuticle reagent in conjunction with the use of the common orange stick. This has been done by keeping a separate bottle of liquid cuticle reagent handy and open at all times during the manicuring operation, in view of the frequent clipping of the orange stick therein to wet the end of the same in the step of pushing back the'cuticle from the nail. A number of objections attend this procedure; the bottle of liquid frequently tips over and spills; an amount of equipment space in the manicuring kit is taken up by the bottle; it is an additional expense to the manicurist. Liquid reagent has also been proposed to be incorporated in a maniouring tool itself, but this has caused more difficulties than having a separate bottle of the liquid; orange wood is porous and permeable, thus affording undesired leakage; liquid reservoirs require complicated valves and corks; the liquid itself partially evaporates and cakes up the structure.

I have obviated all of the objections and disadvantages of the prior art by the provision of the structure, device, and accoutrements of the present invention, whereby simple, inexpensive, useful and operative means are provided to increase the comfort and efficiency of the manicurist at small cost.

Some embodiments of my invention are shown and described as illustrative examples, but it will be understood that I claim all equivalents within the spirit and scope of the invention and as circumscribed by the limitations of my claims.

Referring to the drawing,

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the exterior of my novel orange stick device in hollow form.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device of Figure 1 along the lines 22.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional one end of the structure shown in Figures view of 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional View showing a modification of Figure 3.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3, the niuneral l is a hollow cylindrical container of tubular form and composed preferably of bakelite or other synthetic phenol condensation product, or it may be wood, metal, or other adaptable material. I prefer bakelite because it is not attacked to a substantial degree by the cuticle reagent, presents a pleas ing appearance, is easily machined, etc. tube 1 is open at each end to receive fitted plugs of orange wood 3. The tube 1 has vents 2 which are tapered slightly at 2 as shown in Figure 2, to provide reservoirs for any applied liquid. There are four vents 2, preferably alined as shown, but there may be more or less than this number. The slight taper 2' is provided by upending the drill in the vent or aperture making operation. At each end of the tube 1 are the neat fitting plugs 3 composed of orange wood having reduced ends 4 for fitting purposes, and longitudinal slots 5 communicating with the interior chamber 6 of the tube 1 via the canal '7. Within the chamber 6 defined by the tube 1 and the end orange plugs 3 is a plurality of sticklike portions of cuticle reagent 8 in solid form. The lowermost stick rests loosely on the slightly concave surface 9 of the reduced end of the element 3. While the chamber 6 is shown in Figure 2 as being a substantially filled cartridge, it is unnecessary to have more than two or three pieces 8 of reagent, and even one is sufficient, as a reversal of the orange stick is accompanied by easy sliding of the stick 8 from one end of the chamber to the other for subsequent use at either In the operation of the devices shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, the manicurist dips one end of the same in water or other solvent and the same flows into the chamber 6 through the vents 2. A portion of the cuticle reagent 8 is dissolved by the water and the solution flows downwardly by gravity through the canals 7 and the slots 5 onto the extreme operative end of the orange stick. The tapered portions 2 of the vents 2 provide slight reservoirs feeding down into the canals '7 rather than back through the vents 2. The

The

' iii) cuticle bleaching, softening or removing liquid is thus produced by the solvent action of the water upon the stick 8 almost instantaneously, whenever its use is desired or required. Its use can be intermittent or continuous. The stick 8 merely becomes thinner and shorter with constant use, and retains its substantial shape until it is all used up; by that time, however, the orange tips 11 will have lost their sharpness or rigidity, and the entire device may be thrown away. It is, of course, possible to renew the chamber 1 with new sticks 8 and to replace the plugs 3 with new substitutes. The sticks 8 may be replaced by pills or pellets in the practice of the invention, so that they will roll from one end of the tube 1 to the other by reversing the tool.

It will be clear that variations may be made in all of the above described illustrations. The vents 2 may be elongated, longitudinal, oval, or square in shape. The orange ends 3 may be of the screw thimble type, or fitted to the body by threaded, bayonet, or other joint. The slots 5 may be varied in number and direction. The invention is not restricted to the exact chemical reagent constituting the stick 8. It is essential to the ends of the invention, however, that the reagent be in the solid phase, as distinguished from liquid or gaseous. It will be plain that the material may be powdered and still exist in solid phase.

An advantage of use of the reagent in solid phase lies in the possible use of good cuticle reagents which are unstable when maintained in liquid condition for any prolonged time. It also permits the use of solid antiseptics which might be otherwise unstable. The cuticle reagent may be prepared in solid phase by solidifying potassium, sodium or ammonium hydroxides, or other alkali metal hydroxides in admixture with inert diluents, comprising salts of the above compounds, such as carbonates, sulphates and phosphates which can form crystalline salts with water but are used in anhydrous condition. In addition to such salts, cuticle softener and skin emollient are contained in the cuticle reagent, serving also to prevent crystalline film formation on the nails. Such softener may be one or more of the following substances: glycerine, ethylene glycol, triethanolamine, carbitol, or like hygroscopic substances. Turkey red oil, sulfonated oils, soaps and sulfonated alcohols may also be used. A sodium silicate binder is used to keep the various components together, and the stick or pellets may be prepared by melting the hydroxide, adding the remaining ingredients, and. casting to desired form.

The solid cuticle remover may be prepared by compounding the alkali metal hydroxide, so'ftener, anhydrous salt, and sodium silicate with the proper quantity of water so that subsequent crystallization takes place with formation of the solid product; or the wet mixture may be shaped into rod form and permitted to crystallize thus. The dry constituents can, of course, be shaped into rod form by pressure.

It may be used without a holder and marketed in stick form as cuticle reagent, if desired.

I claim:

1. A device for treating human nails comprising a hollow cylindrical body member adapted to contain solid reagent, pointed plugs interfitting with said body member at each end thereof to provide a substantially closed chamber, said member having means for admitting liquid into said chamber to dissolve said reagent, and said member having means directing said solution to one of the pointed plug ends.

2. A manicuring device comprising in combination, a hollow body member having solid reagent in said member and having aperture means for admitting liquid into said member to act on said solid reagent, and a pointed end communicating with said member to utilize the flow of solution emanating therefrom.

3. An orange stick device comprising a charging barrel having a pointed tool at one end and adapted to contain solid cuticle material capable of sliding movement therein, said barrel having inwardly tapered perforations for admitting liquid into said barrel, and having a passage connecting the interior of said barrel with the pointed tool.

4. A device for treating human nails comprising a hollow cylindrical body member adapted to contain solid reagent, said member having means to admit liquid and means located below said admitting means for directing the liquid to a pointed end.

ROBERT M. LANGDON. 

